Non-fiction books a better investment than online college course, aren't they?

If you’re looking for the closest thing to a college education,  this information will be extremely helpful for you:

It depends on what you mean by non-fiction books.

If you mean textbooks, and you have the follow-through to actually work through the examples, then yes. Textbooks come in a wide variety of levels of expertise, from high school up to graduate level difficulty, which will allow you to work up to whatever level you would like. They are what most college professors use when assigning reading and homework. There are high quality textbooks on every subject imaginable, as wide or as niche as you like. If you are diligent and the right kind of learner, textbooks will take you much farther than online college courses.

In contrast, most online college courses do not go into the technical depth that college courses do, neither in their lectures or their homework. The short lecture style of online courses, while meant to aid learning, don’t allow the teacher to explain concepts and derivations that simply cannot be explained in 15 minutes.

(If you meant non-fiction books like popular science books, than those will not teach you what you would learn if you got a college education in the subject. They are fascinating, motivate interest, and are an excellent addition to a college education but not a replacement.)

This is not to say that textbooks are great and equivalent to going to college, or that online college courses are useless, or that this answer is the same for everyone. Neither textbooks nor online courses are a great way to learn, and everyone learns best differently. Most people seem to agree that textbooks aren’t great, but I believe online classes also fail to achieve the same standards as technical classes.

Online courses provide motivators that textbooks will never have: deadlines, a community, a grade. Some even assign reading from textbooks. In addition, textbooks are generally quite boring and will take far longer to read than watching lectures. I’m suggesting that if you are looking to understand highly technical knowledge on your own, textbooks will get you further than online courses.

Read More

How is benefit when transfering from a community college to a large four year university school or from another 4 year university?

There will be a lot of opportunity and change if you have this transformation:
There is a suggestion that:  If you want to start at a JuCo (a terrific educational bargain, btw), plan ahead. You want to make sure that your Community College credits will transfer. Area universities probably have agreements, but if you plan to go out-of-state, you might lose a few credits. 

Some time ago, junior colleges promoted themselves as the first "2" in a "2+2" campaign. But that only works if the 4-year school is in on the equation. So do your homework. 

Your transfer to a four-year school would most likely be credit-for-credit. But again, look ahead and choose courses that will apply to the program you want to pursue. 

I would like to say that it is best to start where you plan to finish. If you can't afford  your dream school from the start, then go with the junior college. You'll get more bang for your educational buck and save a few in the meantime.  Just choose classes that you know will transfer. 

Usually community colleges in the same state have preference for that state's public university. So targeting a University of California school? Go to 
community college in California then transfer. Make sure to meet with the transfer office to write out your plan and check in regularly for any changes.

I believe this transition will suit each individual situation, appropriate to each type of students, so we should consider when making the decision.

Read More

Are any online colleges worth it?

It can be! It depends, like any other college decision, on what you want and what you can afford to spend time and money on. In many institutions you will get the same curriculum in a slightly different format. If you can discipline yourself to get things done when you need to, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to handle an online course and you may finish your degree quicker that way. Find a quality program that specializes in the kind of training you want and explore a bit more.
Besides, it depend on my factors, the following is some important factors which i want to support for you:

Variety of programs and courses: From traditional four-year universities to completely online career colleges, higher education today offers a variety of options for students. This means
that no matter what students wish to study, from nursing to neuroscience, they can find online the courses or degree programs they need. They can also earn every academic degree online, all the way from a career certificate to a doctorate.

Lower total costs: Online programs can be a more affordable option than traditional colleges. Though not all online degrees have less expensive net tuition prices than traditional colleges
 (link to OEDB article I wrote about college costs), associated costs are almost always less expensive. For example, there are no commuting costs, and sometimes there is also not any required course materials such as textbooks because those are often available for free online. In addition, many colleges and universities have begun to accept creditsearned via free massive open online courses (MOOCs), the most recent advance in online education. Free online courses such as these can help students fulfill general education requirements at little to no cost.

More comfortable learning environment: Commercials that featuring online students studying in the pajamas only skim the surface of one of the primary benefits of online education: there are no physical class sessions. Lectures and other materials are electronically sent to the student, who will then read them and complete assignments. Students will not have to fight traffic, find parking spaces, leave work early to go to class, or miss important family time.

Convenience and flexibility: Online courses give students the opportunity to plan their study time around the rest of their day, instead of the other way around. Students can study and work
when they are at their peak energy, whether that’s early morning or late at night. Course material is always accessible online, so there’s no need to schedule special trips to a library either. All of this makes online learning a good option for students who need to balance their work and family commitments.More interaction and greater ability to concentrate: While there is contradictory evidence about the rate of online student participation versus participation in traditional courses, one thing is certain: online courses offer shy or more reticent students the
opportunity to participate in class discussions or chats with more ease than face-to-face class sessions. Some students even report that online courses are easier to concentrate in because they are not distracted by other students and classroom activity.

Career advancement: Students can take online courses and even complete entire degrees while working, while in-between jobs, or while taking time to raise a family. This academic work will
explain any discontinuity or gaps in a resume as well. Also, earning a degree can show prospective employers that you are ambitious and want to remain informed and prepared for any new challenges.

Continue in your profession: Even if someone wants to complete a degree program, it doesn’t mean that they want to leave their current job. For most students today, college costs mean that it’s necessary to continue working while in school. The previously mentioned flexibility of online degree programs enable students to keep working while also pursuing academic credentials.

Avoid commuting: During snowstorms and thunderstorms, colleges may cancel classes; if they don’t, you run the risk of getting hurt in dangerous driving conditions. Rather than miss
important class sessions, students in online courses can always “attend” by participating on discussion boards or in chat sessions, turn in their work on time, and watch lectures or read materials. Many students also find that the amount they save on fuel costs can be substantial if
they don’t have to commute to a physical campus in general, no matter what the weather conditions may be.

Improve your technical skills: Even the most basic online course requires the development of new computer skills, as students learn to navigate different learning management systems (LMS)
and programs. The skills students learn to participate in their online courses translate to many professions, including creating and sharing documents, incorporating audio/video materials into your assignments, completing online training sessions, etc.

Transfer credits: For college students who want to attend summer classes, but who live too far from their colleges or have to work summer jobs, taking online classes from an accredited college
and transferring the credits to their primary college is a good idea. Students will be able to earn college credit while still enjoying their summer vacation or fulfilling the responsibilities of their seasonal jobs. Similarly, if a college or university is unable to offer enough open sections of a required course, students can take the course online at another college and transfer the credits.

Read More

Something about a long-term online college student

I am sure that a lot of people know about a online college student, but few people know about a long-term online college student, specially there isn't a clear understanding of: " What is it like to be a long-term online college student?", so i think the following imformation will be helpful for you:
Firstly, i need to determine that : What do you depend on to be a long-term online college student?" It depends on what your goal is.  There are many long-term college students that enjoy learning for learning and aren't on a time line.  There are others who give up because it is taking too long...

If your goal is a degree, the first thing to check is to see if there are time limitations (i.e. you need to complete within X years).  These rules are very common, so be sure to lay out a plan that gets you to your goal in the time period.  I would encourage you to leave a semester of leeway as life gets in the way (i.e. if it is a 6 year limit, plan on completing closer to 5).

As far as what will you 'feel'?  If you are taking your time completing a degree, you will still complete it faster than people who didn't start or are putting it off.  There are many who take 1-2 classes a semester (often because their work will only pay for that much or they can only afford that much) so you won't be 'odd'.  Then again, you don't have to share anything with your fellow students if you don't want to.

A caution on finances...  If you are using student loans or grants, make sure you do not run into issues with time or number of classes taken.  Also, do not 'front load' your assistance (i.e. use al of your federal grants up front) as you will have to pay the bill in the end.  Also while in school you can defer your loans, but in most cases interest still accrues so the amount you owe will be increasing. 

Additionally, I'd also say that online universities are typically "for profit" which means the higher the tuition the greater the revenue to shareholders.  It's a model that is coming under intense scrutiny at the federal level.

Read More

The big differences between online college and on campus

we can see a clear difference between online college and on campus, namely:
Firstly, It depends on a lot of factors, such as the size of the college and the way their online programs are set up. At a relatively small college that offers a handful of its degrees online, your online classes will be very similar to what you would find on campus as they are taught by the same professors using the same syllabi as their on campus counterparts. No one can argue that the social experience will be different online, which doesn't necessarily mean it will be diminished. Most online classes call for class discussion/participation via a chat room like forum. This will not give you the same "feeling" of living (or even commuting to) a campus where you see people outside of your classes/major but it also won't be as though you're taking the class alone.


Secondly, A main difference will be that online classes are generally considered a little more intense, as you are learning the same information you would in a semester long course in about half the time. It calls for the student to be a self starter who is able to maintain their own schedule and meet regular deadlines. Just as when you choose your college major, you really just need to decide what format of education best fits your personality, goals, and time/money resources.

Moreover, so much happens in campus, outside of the classroom, and that's necessary for a college. For example, if you look up the campus app we have here, Ublend, you'll get an idea of all of the great events that are available on campus each day.

Read More

Online college

There are many things to know and care about online colleage, in view of the individual and thinking about this, I would like to make a few things to consider:
While recorded lecture is very common, most successful online teachers at my institution have other kinds of interactive activities ranging from forum participation to chat-room sessions and online resource exploration (things like virtual blackboards for showing equations and answering questions). While there is a lot of independent work, there is often some kind of effort made to take advantage of the knowledge of the group as a whole. 

It's important to note that while many online classes are largely self-paced, they also take place within the framework of the academic quarter/semester. This means that there are often due dates, and there is practical time limit related to the end of the grading session. I have seen far too many students fail because they waited until the last week (of eleven) to access the course, figuring that they could just power through.

Speaking of, students need to be aware that time management is a much bigger concern in an accredited online college course. Perhaps the biggest benefit to face to face classes is that most students tend to pace themselves with the rest of the class and issues themselves workload corrections based on what they see others doing. If they aren't seeing what others are doing, most of that social pressure is going to disappear. It's not a guarantee, but it's something to be aware of. A student should ask themselves if they do their homework because it needs to be done, or because their friends are doing it.

It's also important to reach out to your instructor, especially because it doesn't happen as automatically in an online course as it does in a face to face course.

Read More

Finding The Right College For You

What do you want to do with your life? This nearly impossible question has plagued students everywhere across America. A good place to start is to decide what you like to do and then look at careers that use those skills. Do you like talking to people or do you prefer working alone? Are you good with numbers or facts, or do you enjoy writing? Once you have a list of skills you need to determine which professions use those skills. A good place to look is the U.S. Bureau of labor Statistics Occupational Outlook handbook. It provides job descriptions, and lists skills used but more importantly it also projects demand for that job so you don’t end up graduating with a skill that will be hard to market.  Once you’ve decided on a profession, you can narrow the question down to what college should I go to? And, what should I study?

Here are some things to consider while making your decision.

• Online Or Traditional – One of the hardest things we have to do in life are making career choices, since they will have an impact on us for the rest of our lives. One of those choices is going to a college in person or doing it online. Consider what you want, and then consider the barriers for each decision. If you are a single mother, have a full-time job, or want to save money then an online college would be more appropriate. You can always transfer to a “bricks and mortar” college later. If you are more interested in sports teams and the social aspects of going to a physical university, then a traditional model will be a better fit. But remember college is an expensive way to socialize. Remember, the average college education costs as much as your first house.
• Pick A Major — Now that you have decided what type of college you want to attend, what do you want to study? What do you want to be the expert in? Is it nanotechnology? Is it American Literature? Choose you major, and remember that you may change your mind, so have a second pick, since this will be what you will want to minor in. Use these two picks to create a list of colleges that offer plenty of courses in the subject matter.Remember that picking a major is the most important one since if you are willing to start a career path is a must to think that you will be doing these tasks until retire and doing what you don’t really love will turn into bad humor which will affect the people near you (family, friends and coworkers).
• Quality Of Education – at the end of the day, or at least at the end of your program, you should be an expert in the field you choose to study. There are varying levels of educational programs across the many colleges, so once you have decided your major and minor, then check to the see how credible and solid the quality of education is.
• Employment – Consider the employment rates of students in your field and what this will mean for your life goals once you finish your program. Are you going to go on to do an advanced degree? Are you going to do an internship or try to start work right away? Are you already employed and getting your education to advance your current career?
• Costs – What are the costs for housing and tuition? Are their scholarships? Can you afford to attend your first pick? What is the job market like. Do you plan on working part time?
• Do You Qualify? – Now that you have all your research notes together mapping out your future goals and plans, are you able to gain admission to your college of choice. To ensure that you have plenty of options, it is good to apply to at least 3-5 college if you are facing a lot of competition, or if the college is less competitive like some of the online colleges where acceptance is guaranteed, then factor all these aspects into your decision.

So what college is right for you?

You should now be well on your way to getting accepted into a program if you follow these guidelines for choosing a college. Remember, college requires a lot of hard work, and just getting into college can often be the toughest battle to fight. So if you want to go to college, stick to your guns, follow these steps, and don’t give up until you are the expert in your field and doing what you want to do. This may not happen overnight, and rarely happens right away, but these careful steps to planning can be a guide for years to come!

Read More